"There is a confrontation between the limited financial resources and the unlimited need for public services." In this context, bring out challenges in front of the Urban Local Bodies as public service providers. Also, suggest suitable measures to address these challenges.

→ Solid Waste Management → Drainage → Disaster Management → Last-mile service delivery → Slum management and much more under the XIIth schedule of the Constitution. However, they face a constant challenge in accessing funds:

→ Dependence on grants from state and central governments, which are not very regular.

→ Less scope for taxation: They are allowed to collect property taxes, tolls, fees, fines, but this collection is very low due to a miniscule tax base.

→ Not enough infrastructure: while many governments have promised waste to energy schemes, only a few urban local municipalities have waste to energy plants available.

There are many ways to make local governance more financially effective:

→ Devolution of funds can be made binding

on state governments to strengthen local governments.

→ More powers of taxation and proactive collection of user fees, royalties, tolls can supplement income significantly.

→ Devolution of functions and functionaries can instill methods of good governance in municipalities.

→ Direct election of mayors can make them more accountable as well as increase people's awareness about the contribution of municipalities.